The effects of changing environment and human activities on the Arctic: Drivers and challenges in Svalbard (Short Communication)

Abstract

Climate change brings several layers of challenges to the Arctic. On the one hand, we can observe increased human activities that create potential for economic development – especially in mining, oil and gas industry, shipping, fisheries and tourism. On the other hand, these economic benefits pose a risk to the environment, local populations and traditional livelihood of the Indigenous peoples. In the following three years (2020-2022), recently established interdisciplinary team investigates the impact of climate change and human activities on natural environment in the Arctic. The team is composed of eight scientists with different specialization from three faculties of the Masaryk University – Faculty of Social Studies, Faculty of Science, and Faculty of Law. The research focuses on both the challenges and risk assessment in terrestrial ecosystems. The relation of natural environment changes to the human-to-environment interaction is investigated, as well as the consequences for the geopolitical, legal and security developments in the Arctic region. Based on gained findings, risks analysis and recommendations for mitigating the impact of environmental changes on the natural environment and population in the specific Arctic territories will be done. The research directly contributes to encouraging interdisciplinary innovative approach with high added value and international impact. These innovative aspects of the project lie in the interdisciplinary character of the Arctic research across different specializations – natural science, social science and law, which has not been combined and investigated yet. Additionally, the project is unique due to its specific science communication and dissemination of research findings, which aims at four levels of audiences – (i) academic community, (ii) policymakers, (iii) general public, and (iv) students.

Research on Tourism, Indigenous Peoples and Economic Development: A Missing Component

“…There are varying responses amongst destination communities towards tourism, in some cases as tourist numbers increase, so do negative attitudes towards tourism and tourists, while an alternative argument is that it is not numbers but changes in the nature of activities and wider spatial and longer temporal patterns of visitation that are of concern. Other studies show residents can distinguish clearly between tourism and tourists [44], the former often being more acceptable as it may be seen to bring improvements in transportation and other services to the community, while tourists may be seen to bring garbage, pollution, rises in costs, congestion, and competition for space and services. To say the situation is complex is hardly surprising or new, it is clear that attitudes of residents of tourist destinations can and do change over time, not necessarily in a uniform or consistent direction, but rather reflect changes in both tourism and the community itself.…”

“…This has put indigenous communities in a reactive position, having to respond to external developments, for example of transportation, and having to decide to participate or not, with the realization that development of some kind is likely to occur anyway. More research needs to be carried out before any development or extension of access or other elements begins, on what the timing and scale of likely impacts of any planned or desired development are likely to be on the indigenous populations involved [44]. When decisions are made externally on the development of services such as transport, indigenous involvement is often peripheral at best.…”